Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been many things – a mummy, a tooth fairy and a muscular video game avatar, among other things. But this holiday season, he was a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. That’s right, a float of the entertainment mogul’s younger self (fanny pack and all) appeared during the annual event as promotion for his upcoming NBC series Young Rock. The balloon caught the internet by storm, and it’s also making The Rock a bit reflective.
Following the balloon’s appearance on national television, The Rock took to Instagram to mark the occasion. In the sweet post, he expressed gratitude for his illustrious career but admitted that he never thought he would become a parade float:
Never in my wildest dreams... I’ve been a lucky SOB to have done some pretty cool shit in my career, but after seeing my @nbcyoungrock FANNY PACK FLOAT in the #MacysThanksgivingParade, this might take the cake.
Seeing himself with his famous turtleneck and fanny pack also led him to reflect on a tougher period in his life. Still, The Rock is able to find humor in those memories:
This time in my life may represent when I had just $7bucks in my fanny pack, but at least I had enough COOL to tuck my turtleneck in and wear fake silver jewelry because it was all I could afford
It was a surreal moment for him, to say the least. He even joked that his raised eyebrow is the stuff that dreams are made of. You can see The Rock’s original post down below:
The Rock certainly has come a long way from being a kid with a fanny pack and fake jewelry. He’s arguably become one of the most beloved entertainers in all of Hollywood and always seems to be working on something new. His big-screen work is probably what most people think of, but his work on projects like The Titan Games shows that he’s trying to make a dent in TV as well.
Young Rock, however, will definitely be a more personal project for Johnson, though. The show, which hails from Fresh Off the Boat’s Nahnatchka Khan, covers different periods of The Rock’s early years. With this, three different actors have been cast to play him. The show will also depict other key people in his life such as his parents and grandmother. In addition, Johnson himself will also be a series regular on the show.
Production on Young Rock is currently in full swing in Australia, as The Rock recently provided an update, saying that things were going great. He also stressed that he and his collaborators are aiming to be as authentic as possible in telling his story. The project is certainly a full-circle moment for the actor, and the balloon is a great way to get the public hyped.
